REPORT OF THE STATE BOTANIST igi6 6l 



THE VEGETATION OF THE EASTERN END OF ONEIDA 



LAKE 



Introduction. The geographical location of New York State, with 

 the Atlantic ocean upon one side and the Great Lakes on the other, 

 gives it a unique position in regard to certain factors which influence 

 vegetation — relative humidity, rainfall and snowfall. The general 

 character of the climate of New York is conducive to forest growth, 

 in contrast to conditions in the middle western states, while the 

 extremes of temperature are considerably modified by the ocean 

 and the inland lakes. 



In the higher Adirondacks, the growing season, as measured 

 between the last spring frost and the first fall frost, is between 90 and 

 120 days, while the growing season at Oneida lake is about 145 days, 

 and on Lake Ontario near Oswego, 170 days, being exceeded in New 

 York only by portions of Long Island and Staten Island with a 

 growing season of 170 to 200 days. 



The marshes, sandy plains and shores of the eastern end of Oneida 

 lake have been for many years a most interesting field of study for 

 botanists. The literature of botany in New York contains numerous 

 references to this region and to certain species found growing there, 

 but hitherto no attempt has been made to discuss fully the vegeta- 

 tion of this region. 



Among the botanists who have collected here are Dr John Torrey, 

 Dr Asa Gray, Peter Kneiskem, Dr George Vasey, John Paine, jr, 

 Dr J. V. Haberer, William R. Maxon, Dr C. H. Peck and many 

 others. The herbariums of many institutions are rich in specimens 

 collected here by the above-named botanists, as well as by other 

 collectors. 



A casual review of the vegetation of this region indicates an unusual 

 niimber of species of sedges, grasses and aquatic plants. There also 

 appears a certain element which is more suggestive of the vegetation 

 of the northern coastal region than of the typical Canadian-Transition 

 flora which chiefly surrounds this region. The general prevalence 

 of sandy soils is doubtless responsible in large measure for this, but 

 on the other hand, many species typical of the northern coastal plain 

 and other sandy regions in the north, are conspicuous by their 

 absence. 



What now remains of the original forest condition which once 

 prevailed here is very slight indeed, but there is sufficient evidence 

 to establish the fact that the white pine was one of the predominant 

 trees of the primeval forest on these sandy lowlands. Lumbering 



